Pirate at heart
by Rose-Aki
Summary: Never before had Nami realized that she was a pirate at heart, but after talking to a certain swordsman she knew that she wouldn't have it any other way. Zoro/Nami


A/N: I hope you like it :)

* * *

The Straw Hats had just arrived on a new island and for once it seemed like they would have a peaceful time. Instead of a revolution or someone threatening the villagers, the annual festival of the island would be held the next day. At first Luffy was disappointed that there wasn't a new adventure waiting for them, but when one of the villagers told him about the free food at the festival it raised his spirits again and he couldn't wait.

Nami and Robin used the extra day to go shopping. It had been a while since they had done a shopping trip without marines showing up or having to run off to fight alongside their captain, so they enjoyed it throughout. While Nami loved spending most of her life on sea, in moments like this she wished she was a normal girl. She would be able to do this every day and never worry about getting caught up in a fight. Considering that Nami decided that just for the festival she would pretend to be a normal girl.

The next day when the Straw Hats made it to the place where the festival was hold the celebration was already in full swing. It didn't take long for Luffy to find the buffet and a moment later he could be seen eating most of the food that was offered. Zoro watched his captain with a shaking head before helping himself to a mug of sake. The best thing about festivals was after all not the food but the free sake. Searching for a halfway quiet corner he sat down and looked around. However it only took a moment before his peaceful state was interrupted by a woman approaching him.

Meanwhile Nami sat down on the other side of the makeshift bar. She was just about to drink from her own mug of sake when she spotted Zoro a bit farther away. Thinking that she might as well ask him to another drinking competition she stood up, but then she abruptly stopped. To her outer surprise he wasn't alone, a woman sat next to him. She couldn't see the look on Zoro's face because he had his back to her, but the woman seemed to flirt with the swordsman. At this sight Nami felt heart squeeze painfully, but that was only for short second before anger filled her. He was clearly having a great time, so she would search for a man who would keep her better company than the disoriented swordsman.

It didn't take long for a decent looking man to approach her and soon she found herself drinking with him. If she was honest with herself she wasn't interested in him at all, but if Zoro could have fun drinking with someone else so could she. That this man was buying her drinks and that she was sure that he wouldn't even realize if she would steal his wallet at the end of the night was just a bonus. Still, she wasn't having a good time and her eyes kept drifting over to Zoro and the woman next to him. She had thought that Zoro wouldn't be interested in a woman like that, long blond hair, too much make up and clothes that even she considered too short. Was he really preferring such company over drinking with her?

No matter how much Nami tried to focus on the man in front of her, her thoughts stayed with Zoro the whole time. Since she had seen him again after their two years apart she had realized that she felt more for him than she should for a friend. There had always been attraction between them and if someone had asked her who she thought was the best looking guy in their crew she wouldn't have hesitant to say Zoro. However only recently she had realized the depth of her feelings for him. Two years without him had shown her that it was him who she missed the most and that it was him who she could imagine herself with.

Sighing she finally decided that she couldn't stand seeing Zoro with that woman any longer. Putting on a fake smile she turned to the man next to her.

"I heard that the fireworks will start soon. Why don't we find us a good spot to watch it?"

"Sure, I think I know just the place." He mirrored her expression and the two left. Unknown to them a certain swordsman had seen the navigator leave.

Zoro was more than annoyed. This woman was trying to talk to him for an hour now, couldn't she see that he just wanted to drink his sake in peace. After a while he had just settle for ignoring her, but so far she had yet to leave. Zoro couldn't really understand why she was even still here and why she kept moving her hair around her fingers or why she constantly fluttered her eyelashes at him. Women were a riddle to him and he had given up to understand them long ago, but this one was even stranger. Then again the only women he was close to were Nami and Robin, but that was a different matter altogether. While he hadn't trusted Robin in the beginning because of her past, he now saw her as a close friend.

At the thought of the other woman in their crew his lips tugged upwards. Nami and him had always had a special relationship. They bickered most of the time and she constantly annoyed him with the nonexistent debt he had to her, but she was also fascinating. In the two years she had developed into an even more beautiful woman, but he was glad that her personality hadn't changed at all. She was quite special and Zoro had found himself thinking a lot about her in the time they had spent apart. It had taken him some time, but he had come to a few realizations. Now that he thought about her, where was she? Looking around he found her just in time to see her leaving with a man. Something about this didn't feel right and his instincts told him to follow them. Leaving the woman next to him without a word, he made his way in the direction the navigator had gone.

Meanwhile the man had lead Nami away from the festival. After another minute the navigator began to get skeptical when she saw that in the street they were going through weren't any people.

"Are you sure we're right here?"

"Of course, to be more specific we're there." With that he turned on her and pushed her again the nearest wall. "You'll make me quite some money when I hand you over to the marine."

Realizing the situation she got herself in Nami tried to reach for her clima-tact that she had attached to her leg or at least hit him where it hurt, but the man had positioned himself in a good way to trap her. He was clearly an experienced bounty hunter who had immediately known who she was. Cursing herself for being so naive to go away from the others without a second thought, she struggled against him.

"Stop that, it's no use to fight back." He grinned disgustingly at her. "It was just too easy with you. You were so desperate for attention."

"Wasn't it you who was all too eager to flirt with me and buy me drinks." Nami countered, she wasn't afraid of him.

"Despite that you aren't ugly there are hundreds of women who are better looking and they aren't a filthy pirate like you. You disgust me."

"Funny I was just thinking the same thing about you." Nami smirked at him, she wouldn't just give up like this. His reaction to her provocation however was something she didn't expect. He reached back and was about to hit her. Nami closed her eyes, already awaiting the stinging blow, but it never came. Instead the pressure of the man trapping her against the wall was suddenly gone. When she opened her eyes she saw the back of a quite familiar swordsman who stood in front of her, his swords in his hands. She didn't even need to look on the ground to know that the man was beaten.

"We're going back to the ship." Zoro announced without turning to her.

His voice was barely holding in the anger he felt and Nami wasn't sure if he was angry at her or only at the man. Even if Zoro wasn't facing her, she nodded and followed him. Normally she would be concerned that the swordsman would get lost, but most of the time he somehow found his way back to the ship. As if confirming her suspicion she saw the Sunny in front of them a few minutes later. At the sight of her home she slowly began to realize what had happened today.

When she was on deck she sat down in the grass below her tangerines trees. The scent of the fruits always calmed her down. If she was honest with herself, she hadn't really been afraid that she would end up by the marine. When she was in danger Zoro always saved her. It was somehow strange that even if he had such a bad sense of direction he always found her when she needed him the most. Thinking about him, she asked herself where he had gone. After they had arrived at the Sunny she hadn't seen him. Just when she assumed that he was probably training, he surprised her by sitting down next to her with two bottles of sake. After give her one of them he drank a big gulp from the other one.

"It was really stupid of you to go with him."

Normally Nami would get angry at being called stupid, but this time Zoro was right.

"I didn't think it would turn out like this. I just wanted to have a good time drinking with someone and watching the fireworks." Even to her own ears it sounded stupid. Shaking her head at herself she looked up at the sky. "Did you hear what he called me?"

"So? You're a pirate. Be proud of it." He took another gulp out of his sake bottle. "We live a life most people are afraid to live. We do what we want and I for one never regretted that I agreed to follow our captain."

His words made her think. When she had still been a child Arlong had forced her to become a pirate, but when she had met Luffy it had been her choice to join his crew. Did she regret it? The answer to that was a clear no. Sure, it would be nice to have a peaceful day once in a while and just going shopping whenever she wanted would also be quite great, but that wasn't the life she wanted. Seeing the stars in the sky, feeling the wind ruffle her hair and smelling the salty air she realized that she was a pirate. Navigating the Sunny through storms and enjoying a sunny day on deck was what she enjoyed more than browsing shops. Then again, like every good pirate, she loved gathering treasure and of course the drinking that came with all the victory celebrations. At that thought a small smirk found its way on her face and she took a gulp of her sake bottle.

Zoro was right, she should be proud to live the life she did. She had amazing friends and a captain that might be the hungriest and most childish one of the whole Grand Line, but would always protect his friends no matter what. The Straw Hats were her family and the sea was her home. She was really a pirate at heart. Leaning back slightly she looked at Zoro.

"You're right."

"You agree with me?" He smirked at her.

"Don't get used to it. This was probably the only time that will ever happen." She mirrored his expression, for the first time this evening she felt completely content. He laughed at that and took another gulp of sake.

"You know I think he was wrong." Zoro said thoughtfully after a while. When Nami looked confused at him he continued. "You're beautiful."

For a moment Nami was speechless. Zoro was no one who made compliments. At the most he told someone that he respected their fighting skills, but this was completely different. Was he just saying this to make her feel better or did he really meant that? A look in his eye told her that his gentle words were what he truly thought and her heart beat faster at that realization. Without thinking twice about it she leaned closer to him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. It was only a little peck, but it still made her blush.

"What was that for?" He asked her when she pulled away.

"A thank you for reminding me that I'm a pirate and..." She bit her lip. This moment was too perfect to miss her chance to tell him something that she had wanted to for a while. "...a hope for more."

Nami saw his eye widened in surprise. Maybe she had misinterpreted his comment about her look and he had only meant that in a friendly way. However her doubts were removed when he lay a hand under her chin.

"Is that really what you want?"

"Yes, it is." She nodded with a smile on her face.

He answered her, not in words but with his lips meeting hers in a passionate kiss. Without hesitation she returned the kiss and felt him pull her closer into his arms. Faintly she could hear the fireworks start in the distance, but she could care less. The wind around them and the way the ship swayed over the waves was all the atmosphere she needed while kissing the man she loved. They were after all two pirates who were just enjoying a bottle of sake and their feeling for each other.

* * *

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)


End file.
